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Frozen crickets

  • Thread starter ChefDean
  • Start date
I'm going to get myself a VFT soon, but it will primarily be indoors and will only catch the very occasional housefly. I've read that many people will buy a dozen crickets from a pet store, freeze them, then thaw and warm them to room temperature as needed for feeding FT's as well as other CP's. However, it is also well documented that FT's and others require more stimulation, ie. a struggling victim, to begin the digestion process.
How can this stimulus be simulated for the best possible outcome for an indoor VFT?
Chef
 
You can have the problem of feeding too large prey which may lead to a fungal attack. The safest course is not to feed artificially at all. But if you're determined to do it. If the plants start jumping up at passing flies a rehydrated half freeze dried mealworm may placate it. There's also the rehydrated freeze dried bloodworm option.
 
If the plants start jumping up at passing flies...
If they start doing that then I have a million dollar Flytrap on my hands! I'll make sure I get one to you.
However, I've got a couple medium Capes, I'm trying to grow some Drosera from seed, and I'll buy a Flytrap that's already somewhat grown; all from Andrew. So the trap should be able to handle small crickets at first.
I've read about the blood worm approach, but some people also report of a "burn" from them too. Maybe overfeeding? But, even with them, how does one simulate the struggle of the victim to stimulate the digestion process?
I'm just wondering if it would be an easy way to give my babies fresh, or at least fresh frozen, meat with very little effort.
By the way, thanks fredg for all your help.
Chef
 
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All it takes to stimulate the trap to ensure digestion is to gently squeeze the sides of the trap a few times after it has closed fully. And food items preferably should be a third the length of the trap or less to avoid rotting traps from excess food.
 
hcarlton, I actually just found this suggestion this morning while doing more research on vft's prior to me getting one. Thanks so much for your additional info, you guys are great.
Chef.
 
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